Military cap



P. 'MERTON MILITARY CAP A ril 16, 1946.

Filed March 22, 1944 NEW YORK AV.

NEW YORK INVENTOR. feWa LW T'ZTQN/ light in weight, cooler and possessing a better 25 Patented Apr. 16, 1946 4 Claims.

This invention relates to headgear ofthe type worn by persons in uniform, and more particularly relates to a cap which may be worn advantageously by personnel in the military service.

Heretofore a cap of the type mentioned has been found unsatisfactory because of the use of certain materials in such manner the cap cannot be blocked to a correct head size, which makes for oversize and bulky or padded appearance;

Also, the cap does notfit against the head properly withthe desired ease and comfort. Due to the extra materials used costs both' as regards material and labor involved in the production on a quantity basis are unnecessarily great. I"

An object of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks and disadvantages.

'A further object is the provision of a cap of the type having a visor which will be soft ands;

comfortable with a front designed to retain its shape while other-aspects of the cap render it smart in appearance with the full benefit of bein wearing quality.

A further object is the provision in a cap of the indicated character of a detachable reinforcement or stiffener for the front and crown flare and which also serves as a support for an insignia device and a holder for identification means which will be protected and always in view inside the cap for, identification purpose.

A further object of the invention is the previsionof a cap having the aforesaid features to the end that the cap will be flexible so as to be headconforming, and which may be collapsed or folded so as to be convertible to service and traveling conditions.

With the foregoing, other objects of the invention will appear when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional, view of a cap embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing parts of the cap separated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is side view of a combined tip stiffener and identification card holder.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the finished cap.

In accordance with the invention, the cap has a felt or fabric structure If! consisting of a body or head-encircling section If and a, crown or top section l2. The structure If] may be made of one piece'of material, such as felt or fabric. In the present instance, the structure If) ofone piece has a seam 13 formed as a line of demarcation betweentheportion II. and the crown l2. If desired, however, the structure may be made of two or even three pieces; The crown I2'is flat but flares upwardly from the seam I 3 and the flared portiorrof the crown is somewhat higher at the front than at the rear to provide a tip M.

The body or'head-encircling section II has an inturned edge portion IS on the inside thereof extending entirely around the section II. A sweatband l6 'of any suitable type is secured to the edge portion [5. If desired, a full lining may be incorporated in the cap or merely a lining strip I! extending from the front to the back of the crown section to the seam I 3, as shown in the present instance. The inside of the body or headencircling section is devoid of any stiffening and .supporting materials, such as rattan, canvas,

buckram and the like. This enables the attain- 'ment ofa perfect and correct-head size of the body section of the cap which is head-conforming and in proportion to the features of the face of the wearer so that the cap will not appear oversize and bulky or padded.

A visor or peak l8 of leather or other material or combination of materials has a fabric strip l9 bent longitudinally upon itself at the upper edge. A semi-rigid or fiexiblestiifener 20 has its lower edge arranged between the folds, of the strip IS. The strip I9 is arranged on the outside of the upper edge portion of the visor l8 and stitching 2| runs through the visor, strip and stiffener to secure the stiffener to the visor so that the latter two parts are disposed at an obtuse angle with respect to each other, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The section I I is secured or stitched to the visor 18. The stiffener 20 may be made of buckram or any other equivalent material having the required stiffness, yet flexible circumferentially. The stiffener 2|] has a central portion 22 which is higher than each of the like side portions 23. The central portion 22 projects upwardly approximately to the seam I3 or the juncture of the head-encircling section II with the crown I2. Each of the side portions 23 has a hole 24 near the end thereof. The visor I 8 is thicker than the stiffener 20, the latter consisting of a single ply. Thus, the visor has the required strength and stiffness while the stiffener 20 is more flexible for the intended purpose.

In accordance with the invention, a flexible band 25 which serves as a reinforcement is arranged to encircle the head-encircling section II on the outside thereof. The band 25 may be made of canvas or analogous material. Surrounding the band 25 is another band 26 of braid which serves as trimming. The bands 25 and 26 are stitched along the edges thereof to the section H. These bands 25 and 26 overlie the stiffener 20 and completely conceal the same. Button ornaments 21 and a strap 28 are applied to the cap.- The buttons are at the sides, respectively, on the outside of the strap 28 which in turn is on the outside of the band or braid 26. Wires on the back of each button extend through the strap 28, bands 25 and 26, the related hole 24 and the section II, the inner ends of the wires being bent laterally to retain the button in place.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, use is made of a device 29 which serves as an identification holder or container and a reinforcement to shape the crown at the front with the desired flare and 'to support a shield,

emblem or insignia 30. The device 29 is made of semi-rigid material, such as Viscoloid, Celluloid, acetate, vand the like. The, device consists of two parts cemented or otherwise secured to each other to provide'a pocket to receive an identification card 3 containing the name and address of the owner. One or both parts may be transparent so that the card will be readily visible and the contentsthereof readable at a glance.

The device 29 is arranged on the inside of the crown section and its lower edge is in proximity to the seam l3to receive support so that the device will be substantially erect. The crown section 12 has an eyelet 3| and the device has a hole 32 therein for registry with the eyelet. The shield 30 has a screw 33 on the back which carrie 7 a nut 34. The shield is arranged outside of the crown section 12 and its screw 33 extends through the eyelet 3| and thehole 32 in the device on the inside of the section 12. The nut screwed home clamps the shield 30 and the device 29 in place. These parts may be readily detachedand tion.

the crown collapsed without interference of the stiffener 20 so that the cap may be put into a traveling bag or box to occupy a minimum of space.

I claim:

1. In a military cap, a felt or fabric body having a crown and a head-encircling portion, a visor having an upstanding stiffener conforming to the curvature of the visor at the top, said stiffener arranged on the outside of said headencircling portion and projecting upwardly approximately to the juncture of said portion with the crown, a reinforcing band surrounding the head-encircling portion and overlying said stiffener, and means securing the visor and its stifi ener to said head-encircling portion.

2. In a military cap, a felt or fabric body having a crown and a head-encircling portion, a visor having a curved semi-flexible stiffener consisting of an upstanding front central portion and side portions in continuation of the central portion, said stiffener arranged on the outside of said head-encircling portion and the central portion projecting upwardly approximately to the juncture of the h'ead-encircling portion with the crown, said stiffener serving to shape the front of the head-encircling portion and to provide added support for ornaments of the cap. Y

3. In a. military cap, a felt or fabric body havi0 ing a head-encircling section, a semi-flexible stifiener of stiffened woven material on the outside I of said section and overlying the front and parts of the opposite sides only, a' fabricbinding secured to the lower edge of the stiffener, a visor secured to said binding, and the visor secured to said head-encircling section.

4. In a cap having a head-encircling section, a visor, a stiffener attached to the upper edge portion of the visor,the stiffener being disposed on the outside of the headencircling section and projecting upwardly approximately to the upper line of said section, and the said edge portion being attached to said head-encircling sec- CY ME ON- 

